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Election Diary: John Tory visiting every ward in the city

In the final run up to the mayoral election, frontrunner John Tory is trying to visit all of the city’s 44 wards in 72 hours.

Mayoral frontrunner John Tory serves coffee to patrons Saturday in a Tim Hortons at Yonge and Sheppard as he continues a campaign blitz that will see him visit all 44 wards in the city in 72 hours leading up to Monday's election. (Steve Russell / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

John Tory picks up a pumpkin selected by his grandson, John, at the Fairlawn Market on Avenue Road Saturday, the second-last day of campaigning before Monday's municipal election. (Steve Russell / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

Former city councillor and deputy mayor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, dressed as a zombie, greets mayoral candidates John Tory and Doug Ford, who crossed paths while campaigning Saturday at a Halloween Walk for military families. (Steve Russell / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

Mayoral frontrunner John Tory speaks with a customer at the Etobicoke Civic Centre Farmers Market Saturday. The final weekend of campaigning saw the mayoral candidates criss-crossing the city before Monday's mayoral election. (Steve Russell / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

John Tory shows off his granddaughter Piper's Tory for Mayor shirt as he visited the Boo! at the Barns Halloween party in Wychwood Barns Saturday. (Steve Russell / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

10:37 a.m.: Tory arrives at a seniors’ craft fair, with more than a dozen vendors selling 40-cent fudge and books and jewelry. He buys two children’s books from Julie Timms for his grandson, Jack. Raffi Shrinian also sells Tory on his pocket book about overcoming adversity.

Fairlawn Market, Avenue Rd.

Mayoral front runner John Tory reacts as a young hockey player asks him why Olivia Chow tries to push him around during debates during a stop at the Buckingham Arena on the Downsview grounds Saturday. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star)

11:34 a.m.: Tory greets his wife, Barb, and his son and grandkids away from a group of TV cameras waiting to photograph the family picking out pumpkins. They quickly find a large, orange gourd that Tory holds in the crook of his arm. Barb jokes about getting one for $15 that has already been hollowed out. “Outsourcing,” she says.

11:42 a.m.: Tory tells reporters he’s been to five stops already. He’s asked about his donor list and dismisses a suggestion from Ford that he would owe more than 5,000 donors political favours.

“I think that’s among the more ridiculous of his assertions,” Tory says. “I’m very, very gratified at the success we had raising money.”

Halloween walk for military families, Birmingham St.

12:30 p.m.: Tory arrives at a military armoury just minutes before Doug Ford’s RV rolls up. He’s greeted by former councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, dressed as a convincing zombie.

12:40 p.m.: Tory is chatting with local police officers riding along with the walk when Ford, his wife Karla, and his entourage head in Tory’s direction. Tory’s spokesperson gets his attention and the contenders shake hands in the parking lot as the two groups pass each other.

Farmer’s market, Etobicoke Civic Centre

1:09 p.m.: Tory arrives in the parking lot of the civic centre. There is a discussion about whether he is allowed to actually campaign here, because they are on city property. The team says he is just shaking hands and meeting people and start making the rounds.

1:17 p.m.: A vendor packing up his stall says if Tory doesn’t win in Toronto, he should run in Pickering: “We don’t need drunks! We need mayors!”

1:29 p.m.: Tory orders peameal on a bun. “Don’t you rat me out!” he says to a reporter. His former weight loss coach, who often checks in on Tory when he makes public appearances, would not approve.

He takes the top of the bun off and throws it away.

Coffee Tree Roastery, Bloor St. West

2:07 p.m.: In Bedford Park, Tory greets patrons of a longstanding roastery. A man in the back says he plans to vote on Monday.

“Anything I can help you with?” Tory asks, offering to answer questions to help the man make up his mind.

“I’ve decided,” he says, without revealing his choice.

Second Cup/Booster Juice, Winncott Dr.

2:53 p.m.: Tory and team drive by Randy Ford, wearing a black cowboy hat as he hammers Ford for Mayor signs into the ground on Eglinton Ave. West.

3:03 p.m.: “I wish you guys would take all that trash off the lawns,” a man in Second Cup tells Tory, who says he understands.

“I already voted and I voted for you,” the man says.

John Tory shows off his granddaughter Piper's shirt as he stops for the Boo at Wychwood Barns on Saturday. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star)

3:23 p.m.: In Booster Juice, an employee helps Tory pick Breezy Banana as his smoothie of choice. Councillor Peter Leon, who joins Tory for this leg of the tour, watches from the other side of the counter.

When he’s done making his drink he takes a sip as cameras and cellphones are poised to capture his reaction.

“Ready? Dee-licious.”

Buckingham Arena, Carl Hall Rd.

4:16 p.m.: Tory arrives at the arena after putting on a Maple Leafs jacket. In the halls, he is grilled with questions from children dressed in their hockey uniforms.

“Do you think you’re going to win?” one asks.

“I don’t know. I hope so,” says Tory.

“Would you be mad if Doug Ford won?” another asks.

“No, I wouldn’t be mad,” Tory says. “I’d be disappointed.”

Boo! at the Barns, Wychwood Barns

5:39 p.m.: Tory is greeted by his extended family and gravitates toward his not quite one-year-old granddaughter, Piper, clad in a tiny Tory T-shirt. As he carries her into the costume party, the back of her shirt reads “grandpa” for mayor.

After seeing 23 wards since Friday, he still has more than four hours to go tonight.

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